Montana Child Restraint Laws

WhLearn about child restraint requirements, laws, and penalties in Montana.

Montana has laws mandating protection for children in cars.
The following table indicates Montana’s requirements. The types of child
restraints are discussed in more detail below:

Montana Child Restraint Requirements

Age/Weight/Height

Appropriate
Restraint

A child under 6 years of age and weighing less than 60
pounds is a passenger in a motor vehicle, that motor vehicle must be equipped
with one child safety restraint for each child in the vehicle and each child
must be properly restrained. The child safety restraint must be appropriate
for the height and weight of the child as indicated by manufacturer
standards.

Penalties

Failure to follow this law results in a fine of $20 for a
first offense.

The Types Of Restraints

There are three
variables for child seats -- age, weight and height of the child – and these
variable are applied across various types of restraints:

(1) Rear-facing seats and (infant) rear-facing
only seats (for infants) -- Refers to
the position where the child's car seat is turned to face the back of the
vehicle. The rear-facing position supports the entire head, neck, and back,
cradles and moves with the child to reduce stress to the neck and spinal cord
in a crash. A rear-facing only seat is
a child restraint system designed for use only by a young child in a rear-facing
position – also called an “infant-only” seat.

(2) Forward-facing child safety seats (for
toddlers; children around the age of learning to walk) -- a car seat intended
for use only in the forward-facing position for a child at least age 1 and at
least 20 pounds up to the specified limits of the seat, set by the
manufacturer.

(3) Convertible seats. (infant to toddler)
-- A car seat that converts from
rear-facing for babies and smaller children to forward-facing for older and
larger children.

(4) Booster seats (typically for children
under four feet, nine inches) -- a booster seat correctly positions the seat
belt by “boosting” the child so the lap and shoulder belt fit properly. The lap belt should be low and tight across
the hips and the shoulder belt should fit cross the chest and not rest against
the neck or face. Proper belt fit is very important. Booster seats can have high back (for use in
vehicles with no head restraint) or no back/backless (for use in vehicles with
head restraints).

(5) Lap/Shoulder Belts (for adults and
older children) – A lap/shoulder belt is a seat belt secured to the framework
of a seat or car and fastening across the lap and shoulder of a driver

Recalls

A surprising number of child seat manufacturers have issued
recalls for their products. Unless you’re one of the few consumers who register
the seat after purchase, your chances of receiving notification or learning
about the recall are not good. You can increase your chances of notification by
following the NHTSA
registration instructions. Or you can search for service bulletins at the NHTSA site.

When Must a Child Seat Be Replaced?

Here’s where you can find a child restraint inspection
center in Montana. Like motorcycle helmets and other auto safety equipment,
child restraints are considered to have a shelf-life -- that is a period of
time after which their safety features may be compromised. Most experts agree
that as a result of wear and tear, and changes in temperature and exposure
(which causes the plastic to crack and lose effectiveness), the shelf life for
a child’s seat is approximately six years. In addition, if you car is involved
in moderate or severe crash, regardless of whether a child is in the seat, the
seat should be replaced. Seats do not need to be replaced in the event of a
minor crash – one in which the vehicle could drive away without visible damage,
nobody was injured, the airbags did not deploy and the vehicle door near the
seat suffered no damage